


Enough

by athirstygoil



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Edge and Sans are loud motherfuckers and gotta learn to keep quiet, M/M, Papyrus and Red learn more about each other, Papyrus is ace, Papyrus is uncomfortable, Red is thirsty but also just wants his bro back, Red is uncomfortable, cuddles ensue, implied sex, sex in the background, yet Edge and Sans already have a room
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 15:25:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11854389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/athirstygoil/pseuds/athirstygoil
Summary: Papyrus and Red can't sleep. What better time to talk about your insecurities when your brothers are loudly fucking upstairs?





	Enough

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: I WON?! WHAT?! O_O?? AHH thank you all so much!! 
> 
> There's no actual sex, only implied sex. c:
> 
> I had written out the original idea for this months ago but hadn't fleshed out the whole story until an opportunity to participate in a FanFic contest opened up on tumblr. (https://undertailfanficcontest.tumblr.com/) c: A couple weeks of heavy writing, and here we are!
> 
> In this story, I wanted to emulate Papyrus as being uninterested in sex as opposed to being innocent of it.
> 
> Song list  
> Give Our Hearts Some Weight - Joel Ansett  
> Eulogy - Chloe Jane  
> Better - SYML

A thump against the wall startled the slumbering skeleton awake. With a spark, orange magic gleamed from his sockets, ready to face whatever interrupted his one night of required rest. Listening, the tall skeleton sat up and scrutinized the source of it. Waiting for anything to validate his suspicions. 

But when an undulating moan followed, Papyrus rolled his dimming eyelights as he let his upper half fall back onto the bed. 

They were at it _again._

An urgent hush from the other side, then an amused chuckle as the two occupants settled. Or, Papyrus hoped they did. Restlessly, he tossed and turned, fitful to welcome sleep once more. Despite himself, he found in the deafening quiet, he heard more than he wanted.

The squeak of Sans’ mattress as a deliberate weight was thrown on it--a low growl, a gasp. He caught low whispers and hints of restrained cries. The clanking of bone against bone, a faint rumbling. A muffled cry fought to escape. Frozen, Papyrus could do nothing but listen.

He still couldn’t stop the dread from climbing into his soul when he heard the mattress and bed frame rhythmically rattle. More than once had the tall skeleton found himself unable to sleep due to these unabashed interruptions. But not once did he think to complain. Sans spent his time how he wanted with his boyfriend and the lanky sibling supported it. His only qualm though, was the unspoken denial of _what_ they would do.

Papyrus wasn’t stupid; he _knew_ they were having sex. He just didn’t understand why both Edge _and_ Sans tried to keep it a secret. Like it was some game to them. They were _clearly_ terrible at it. 

Edge’s constant flirting with Sans was tolerable on most occasions, but come evening Sans shed his more reserved (though equally flirtatious) self for his more...loose side. Not like Papyrus didn’t encourage it--Sans opening up was wonderful! Just...one night he could forgive maybe, but _two_? And _in a row?_

Groaning, the tall skeleton rolled out of bed, dragging the blanket across his slim frame. This had gone on long enough, and Papyrus wasn’t afraid to give them a piece of his mind.

Slowly opening the door, Papyrus lightly padded from his room and tiptoed to the space the two now shared. Surprisingly enough, the lights that usually flowed from under the doorway were absent. Papyrus wasn’t sure if he should feel relieved or concerned. 

Voices sounded through the door as the blanket-covered skeleton stood inches from the doorway.

_“Keep that up and you’ll be a better pet than Red.”_

_“heh. ya think so?”_

_“I know so.”_

Sockets widening, Papyrus backed away from their room, and gingerly made his way to the stairs. Clutching the banister as he descended, the slim skeleton fought to understand what he just heard. Carpals to his skull, Papyrus promised himself he’d purge their conversation from his mind after a good night’s rest.

After all, how would Red react if he found out?

\---

Last evening, he had curled onto the couch and covered his skull with the extra cushions, but this time a muted glow emitted from the TV as the blanket-laden skeleton entered the living room. The volume at a low drawl, Papyrus tilted his head and noticed his brother’s double.

The red shadows under his eyes glowered profusely in the soft light of the television screen. Sans’s alternate flipped through channels rather hollowly, and didn’t notice Papyrus until he reached the couch. Startled, his eyelights burst red.

“b-boss! i can exp--” Realizing which Papyrus it was made the light in his sockets flicker faintly. “oh.” He rubbed his sockets, disappointed. The red dimmed into white. “couldn’t sleep?” 

Papyrus shook his head.

“No,” he sighed heavily, joining the shorter skeleton on the couch. “not with _that_ racket.” Red smirked.

“heh. didn’t think he had it in ‘im,” he seconded, leaning against the armrest. “i’m amazed he’s tryin’ ta control himself.” 

The resumed banging and subdued cries from upstairs made the blanket-covered skeleton wince. 

 

“And that’s not… _loud_ to you?” Papyrus asked nervously. Red shrugged tiredly.

“he could be louder really. i’m not the only one that needs a gag on occasion.”

A light heat dusted Papyrus’ zygomatics and he hoped under the low lighting Red wouldn’t notice. Pulling up his knees, the taller skeleton hugged his legs from under the blanket.

“What are you watching?” he asked. If anything, the late night programs could ease him into a nap. The gold toothed skeleton idly traced the divots on the remote control. 

“just...tryna drown them out with whatever,” he admitted. “nothing really good on though. justa bunch of human channels.” Eyeing the taller skeleton, Red gave him a lopsided smile. “but they kinda add to it, if ya know what i mean.”

Scrunching his features, the befuddled Papyrus raised a brow ridge. Red quickly looked away. “ne’ermind.” Settling on something vaguely anime, the shorter skeleton reclined and eased sock-covered feet on the coffee table. 

Leniently allowing it, the taller skeleton turned his attention to the scene on the screen. Whatever was happening, they began in a very chaotic place. Many humans were dying, and the blanket-covered skeleton watched on, baffled. 

 

He didn’t know what was happening, but he liked the human with the gigantic sword. He could see Undyne wielding something similar, and showing it off with pride.

Soon, the human was running, and swinging his large implement. He slayed those other armored humans so easily, and he kept saying a name? Papyrus watched, enthralled at the animation and characters.

But when a large faun monster sprouted snakes from their back and began coiling them around a female human in places they shouldn’t Papyrus had to physically cover his widening sockets. The moment the sword-wielding human cut the faun in half was when Red changed the channel.

“whoops uh--” The bright orange blush radiated from the taller skeleton’s zygomatic processes.

 

“ _Red_ , why did you do that?!” Taken aback by his tone, the sharp-toothed skeleton wiped away beads of sweat from his skull.

“i uh--forget you don’t watch that kinda anime,” he sheepishly grinned, “shoulda warned ya buddy.” Papyrus’ expression fell.

“What? _No!_ ” he protested, “It was getting interesting!”

“nah man, too intense,” his brother’s doppelganger dismissed, “lemme find ya something else.”

“Red, I’m not a child,” Papyrus countered. “I would prefer you not treat me like one.”

“look, pap,” the shorter skeleton interrupted, “i promised yer bro i'd keep things pg around ya okay? don’t want'im busting my ass.”

Papyrus crossed his arms as the rougher version of his brother flipped through channels again.

 

“Sans has no say what I expose myself to!” he declared, “he has to admit that I can make my own decisions!” Red furrowed his brow uncaringly.

“alright big guy,” he shrugged, “suit yourself. don’t let _my_ bad influence get the better of ya.” Papyrus cocked his head. 

“ _Bad?_ Aren’t you and your brother just louder and more obnoxious?”

At this innocent assumption Red snorted. 

 

“buddy, you don’t know the half of it.”

“So tell me,” Papyrus replied. Red leaned away.

“nah, yer bro would kill me. there’s stuff y’don’t need ta know.”

“ _Please?_ ” the taller skeleton pressed. “I’m really good at keeping secrets! You can trust me!” The gold toothed skeleton scrunched his nasal ridge as if to suppress his amusement.

“stars, you’re a dead ringer for boss when _he_ was a baby bones.” Sighing in mock defeat, Red tilted his head and half-smiled. “have anything in particular ya wanna know?”

“Nope,” Papyrus returned the smile genuinely. “Just...whatever you’d like to talk about.” 

 

Pausing a moment, Red eyed the ceiling before settling on a topic.

“well for starters, not everyone has it nice like ya got here. and not everyone can be what they want. lotsa times yer job is given to ya. and there’s no changing it midway. once yer there, yer stuck. and no one will help ya out even if ya hate it.”

“What do you mean?” Papyrus asked, not understanding. “Isn’t getting a job all about reaching the position you want?” Red shook his head.

“nah, not where i’m from,” he began haltingly, as if he remembered something. “well,” he rolled out, “yer not _entirely_ wrong. a lotta tha time, it’s something ya can’t change once yer in it. not much room for growth neither. a sentry like me can stay a sentry for years. even with experience under my belt, i wouldn’t be made anything higher. not like i’d want to anyway.” 

Chuckling to himself, Red supported his head with a hand as he eyeballed the taller.

 

“So that means,” reflected Papyrus, “that since your Papyrus is Lieutenant, he must have worked very hard to get to where he is.” Red grinned.

“ _bingo_. boss is so cool,” he agreed wholeheartedly, “ta earn it the way he did. other monsters though,” he continued with a disapproving look, “...most of the time they’re all about their own agenda. unlike boss, not everyone is about making the underground better.” 

 

“there’s all types of problems. like overpopulation, and its consequences. it forces people to migrate into places they otherwise wouldn’t wanna go. and it makes it so resources are scarce depending where ya live.”

“That’s...terrible,” the tall skeleton frowned, as he hugged the blanket closer. “I’m happy we didn’t have that issue here in Snowdin. Everything’s so simple here.”

“yeah,” Red agreed, “yer lucky to be content in a place like this. that’s why boss was so suspicious at first.” He grinned to himself thoughtfully. “finds it hard to accept things when we could’ve had it too.”

 

“But--you have it now,” Papyrus pointed out, “don’t you?” Red merely shrugged.

“it’s not fer me ta decide.”

Papyrus pondered his previous statement. Edge was a peculiar version of him. But then again, Papyrus hadn’t met an alternate of himself until the two appeared those years ago. 

 

Both Fell brothers had come a long way since. They were a lot less jumpy than the first night, most definitely. And to have them comfortable for more than a few hours showed vast improvement. 

And along with it came a change in Sans as well. The blanketed skeleton frowned.

 

“Red,” he asked quietly, “may I confess something?” The stocky skeleton glanced at him briefly.

“shoot,” he replied, i’m listenin’.”

“This whole… _affair_ between our brothers,” Papyrus started, “makes me uncomfortable.”

“waddya mean, them being together in general?” Red clarified, “or ya mean the sex?”

If he thought the orange dusting on his cheeks had faded after his chiding tone, Papyrus was wrong.

“ _Yes I do mean the sex,_ ” he quickly hissed. 

“don’t need ta be all secretive buddy,” Red chortled. “i mean if _i_ wasn’t bothered by it too i wouldn’t be up.”

“So you are--?” Papyrus asked, jaw agape. 

“yeah,” Red replied, with a slight mocking whine to his voice. “can’t help but feel a little jealous.”

A brow ridge lowered.

 

“What do you mean, jealous?”

“oh uh,” the shorter skeleton paused. “when you’ve been how we were...ya know. for a long time? and to suddenly have him just--not there--” Red’s hands gestured in a rolling circle.

“stars most nights i can’t sleep without jacking o--.” Clapping a hand over his teeth, Red frowned, eyelights small. “ _voidshit,_ ” he swore under his breath.

 

“ _Oh._ ” Papyrus’s teeth set in a despondent line. “I...really didn’t mean like that Red, I--”

“‘m real sorry pap,” the other skeleton apologized, metacarpals kneading his sockets. “i uh haven’t been laid in a while.” Sockets like saucers, Papyrus scooted away from the anxious monster.

“If you think I can help you,” he frowned, “I don’t believe I can.”

“what _no_ ,” Red interjected, facing him almost offended. “‘m not interested in that with you, no offense.” 

“None taken,” Papyrus sighed with relief.

“ya may look and act like boss sometimes, but you ain’t my bro,” Red continued. “nah, no,” he added quietly, “no one can replace boss.”

 

The silence that followed felt heavy for both parties, and they both mindlessly stared at the screen in front of them. Red had left the channel on one of the few Monster-run screenings.

Mettaton’s latest Show for Late Night Viewers and Early Risers played a jingling tune. A lullaby almost, while the robot showed off his legs by gracefully landing a pirouette. Red’s brow ridge twitched with annoyance as he changed the channel. 

The screen was blank this time. A [mellow tune](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW8YEnfHxOE) played instead. 

 

Tiredly tossing the remote aside, the shorter skeleton eyed the other.

“l-look, pap,” Red began hesitantly, “i gotta tell ya, i’d do anything to be in your bro’s place.” Attention mostly on the song, Papyrus saw his brother’s other self shift uncomfortably from the corner of his socket.

“some nights i miss ‘im, ya know? like, heh. why can’t it be _me_ under him like that? why can’t _i_ be in the receiving end of those phalanges?” His teeth gritted, hands clenching into fists.

The singular gold tooth glinted by the light of the television. Papyrus turned his skull to face him.

 

“I know I’m not your brother,” he offered, “but if you like I can try.” Red shook his head immediately at the suggestion.

“nah man,” he chuckled, “that’s not what i want. you couldn’t be him if ya tried. different experiences, ya know?” Papyrus acknowledged this with a nod.

“Then what _do_ you want?” 

“i---” Red’s jaw tightened a moment. 

 

“i want him to tease me like the asshole he is,” he started, voice a low growl. “i wanna feel his phalanges _rake my bones_ and his tongue lick me until i can’t take anymore.” 

His words became punctuated, and climbed in volume. “i want him to tie me up and do _whatever the void he wants until **i beg him to fuck me!**_ **”**

Red didn’t realize how loud he became until he found himself sobbing. “i… _i just want him to fuck me._ ” The hitch that escaped from him was as sudden and unexpected as the other skeleton touching his shoulder. “wha--”

 

Stiffening, sparks of magic floated near his hand as Red immediately dismissed them. Unaffected, the tall skeleton’s phalanges lightly brushed his scapula from behind his shirt.

“I miss my brother as well,” Papyrus admitted, giving Red an understanding squeeze. “Since you both arrived, he’s been hanging around Edge so much I’m afraid he forgets about me even when he insists he doesn’t.” 

Red glanced at those grief-filled sockets and looked down.

 

“it wouldn’t be like this if we never came here,” he uttered. “boss’d still be with me and sans with you. but…” 

The gold-toothed skeleton sighed as he turned. Papyrus let his hand drop. “i ain’t seen boss this happy in a long time. maybe cuz yer bro’s like me,” he smiled with a slight knit to his brow ridges, “only worse.”

“Worse how?”

“cuts’im in a way i know i can’t. like how he coulda had sans if he didn’t have me. if we didn’t live where we did, ya know?”

Papyrus gritted his teeth in thought.

 

“But then...he wouldn’t be himself, and you wouldn’t be you.”

“only real factor’s the circumstances,” the stocky skeleton reasoned. “ya take that away and you’d think we’re the exact same. but we’re not. and we can’t.” With a slow breath, Red finished with a conclusion. “we are who we are. and nothing can change that.”

Brow ridges furrowing, Papyrus’ gaze flitted from the skeleton opposite him, to the ceiling. Phalanges scraping at the backs of his hands from beneath the blanket, the tall skeleton fidgeted before allowing himself to speak.

 

“Red, I--” he began distractedly, “I ah...may have heard something I perhaps shouldn’t have--”

“like what?” the shorter skeleton commented, his voice a noncommitted rasp.

“Ah...uh--your personal affairs are not my business,” Papyrus continued, “so forgive me if I misunderstand your dynamic--” Stopping himself to gather his thoughts, the taller of the two returned to his original statement.

“Your brother may have mentioned to mine how much better a pet Sans was--”

The tinting in his sockets were Papyrus’ only warning as Red’s eyelights shrank.

 

“ _ **well ain’t this peachy keen,** and **rainbows galore!**_ ” Taken aback by the outburst, Papyrus gaped at the seething skeleton. “ _apparently_ sans is not only _better_ than me in _every little thing_ , he had to take away _the one thing i had with my bro?!_ ” Red eyelights smoked fiercely as his fangs threatened to crack a lower tooth.

Suppressing a frustrated whine, the gold-toothed skeleton scraped his skull with sharp phalanges before wringing his shirt hem angrily. As if to stop himself from ripping it, he instead summoned a bone construct. Taking either end in his hands, Red snapped it in two jagged halves.

Papyrus stared, amazed and appalled. Red was really mad, but not enough to do intentional damage to the house. Which was good! But…it still unnerved him.

 

When the taller skeleton witnessed him snap the halves into smaller pieces, he expelled a sigh of relief. Extending a careful hand from beneath the blanket, Papyrus reached for Red’s knee.

“Red--I--” 

“save your breath,” he muttered unkindly. “‘ve heard enough.” The bone fragments dematerialized the more he broke them. Tiny red cuts decorated his phalanges. It was not as destructive as before, but still worrying.

“But I may be wrong!” Papyrus insisted, phalanges twitching to calm him like he did with his brother.

 

“ _well why in the void'd ya tell me if ya ain’t got solid proof?_ ” the broader version of Sans heatedly hissed, eyelights gleaming brightly.

“I just…” trailing off, Papyrus paused, drawing his hand back. “I wanted you to know. And should it ever come up, I wanted you to be prepared.” An annoyed growl reverberated from his ribcage as Red analytically scrutinized him.

“well all it did was get me all riled up,” he spat. “maybe even for nothing.” 

“Look, that’s just what I heard,” Papyrus defended, “It could very well be part of their banter for all I know.”

Crossing his arms, Red scowled.

 

“whatever fucking game they’re playing it ain’t funny.” As he fumed, a crooked smile reached his teeth when he realized his unintentional pun. Forcing it to a neutral frown, Red exhaled sharply. “what does he even see in him anyway. he’s pretty much _me_.”

The taller skeleton knitted a brow at the hypocritical statement.

“That’s like saying I’m like your brother,” Papyrus countered. “But we’ve already established I clearly am different despite our similar characteristics.” Red glared at him stubbornly.

“just as big a lazy fuck as me,” he argued dismissively. “still needs a kick in ‘is boney ass.”

“I wouldn’t disagree,” Papyrus stated offhandedly, “my brother is, after all, quite the handful.”

“yeah a handfulla bullshit,” Red laughed mockingly. 

“If my brother’s hands are full of anything,” Papyrus stated plainly, “it’s ketchup.” Deadpanning, he added, “Disgustingly enough.”

Red’s brows lowered seemingly revolted, then despite himself, his expression changed.

 

“didja mean ta do that?” he snorted, failing to stop the wide grin on his teeth.

“No, and I hate that those words came from my mouth,” Papyrus exclaimed passive-aggressively.

“ya learn from the best,” Red chuckled lightly. “and by that i mean die wurst.”

“Please stop,” Papyrus smiled stiffly, “I can only handle the influence of one Sans at a time and you’re not helping.” 

Red grinned and scooted back so his skull leaned against the top of couch.

“can’t say i didn’t warn ya,” he sang, “us sanses are a force ta be reckoned.” Papyrus gave him a coy look before returning his attention to the television. The song had changed to one [more melancholy.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bXKwsqjNbs)

 

A minute passed as the sharper toothed skeleton stared reminiscently at the shadows on the ceiling. Jaw tense despite his overall relaxed appearance, he distractedly fidgeted with the drawstrings of his hooded sweater. After a time, he slowly released a held breath.

“d’ya regret ever taking us in?” he asked quietly. “d’ya ever wish we never showed up?” The brow ridges on the taller skeleton lowered with surprise.

“What? _No_ ,” Papyrus replied firmly, “NO I’D NEVER! I wouldn’t _ever_ regret meeting you!” 

Blank sockets trained to the ceiling, the gold toothed skeleton hollowly chuckled as his grip on the loose string tightened.

 

“we came here,” he laughed sarcastically, “not even knowing where we were--storming the house thinking there’s been a burglary or some shit. and when we see you, boss almost dusted ya.” An empty laugh resounded from the gold toothed skeleton’s ribcage. “if--if it weren’t for sans--you’d be dust!” 

Metacarpals covering his sockets, Red’s laughter devolved to sobs. “and now he’s neglecting _you._ and boss is neglecting _me._ they have each other now,” Red choked, reluctant tears rolling down his magic-burned sockets. “so who do we have besides us?”

Warm arms engulfed the skeleton as long limbs reached from beneath the blanket. Stiffening, Red stared at Papyrus, red eyelights smouldering. A bright orange glow flared from the taller skeleton’s chest as he embraced him.

“Us,” Papyrus answered imploringly, breathily, “we have _us._ ” Gradually, Red let himself relax. Papyrus wouldn’t hurt him. And Red knew for a fact he wouldn’t hurt _anyone._

 

“You two may be the best thing that has ever happened to Sans and I,” he continued. “We would have never known multidimensional travel was possible, let alone more than a theory, without you.” 

“The knowledge that there are choices that are made, whether circumstantial or seemingly petty that create these different circumstances is a breakthrough!” 

Yielding to his gentle but firm touch, Red saw the blanket surrounded them now.

 

“Understanding the timelines you come from with your input is something we can never replace. Even though I don’t understand it as well as Sans, I know it doesn’t change my thoughts.” Releasing the smaller skeleton, impassioned sockets locked with Red’s. 

“You are important to me, Red,” he voiced. “Not just because you’re Sans from another reality. There are enough differences between you two that make you your own person.” Red gasped softly when he saw tears roll down his mandible. 

“You’re my friend,” Papyrus said, voice almost breaking, “and I cherish you.” 

 

A foreign feeling engulfed the sharp toothed skeleton in that instant. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“i---cherish you too,” he breathed with a slight waver, wrinkling the fabric of Papyrus’ shirt. Stars did he miss being held. Being warmed by a source other than blankets and hot showers. 

“I promise you, Red,” Papyrus tenderly vowed, “I’ll support you. I’ll listen. When you need it, don’t hesitate to. I’m here.”

 

If Red was sure about anything in this second, it was that Papyrus meant everything that he said. So when the taller skeleton’s embrace slackened, Red allowed himself to face him briefly.

“d’ya ever feel like...sometimes you’re just not _good enough?_ ” Papyrus’s brow ridges rose with concern. When he nodded slightly, Red’s features fell. 

“when we first showed up, i didn’t know what to do. boss was the sanest of us, so i just went along. he was the only familiar thing to fall back on, and i kinda depended on him more than i should’ve.” 

His eyelights disappeared for a moment. “i never thought he’d fancy yer bro. and when i realized what was happening, i didn’t want him to leave.” Red inhaled unsteadily as his eyelights returned. 

 

“now he’s got sans, he doesn’t need me anymore. i don’t think he ever really did.” An imploring smile, a sad sigh. “boss, the great and terrible,” he announced as if from a script. 

“climbed the ranks like a champ, dusted the competition like they were nothing. all fairly. all with just his confidence and training. ...and with a little push from his brother sans.” The light crack in his voice gave way to a whisper. “sometimes, my bro’s so amazing--i feel like i can’t keep up.” 

A single tear rolled down his socket. “a-and no matter how hard i try--” he heaved, “ _i still--_ ” his stammer dissolved into sobs. Metacarpals wiped at his gushing sockets futilely.

“i can’t--” he whimpered, a high pitched whine escaped from his teeth. 

 

“Shh, shh…” The lanky skeleton held him again, and stroked soothing circles on Red’s back. “Tell me,” he urged calmly. “But if you can’t, this is enough.” 

Red leaned his skull against the taller skeleton’s sternum, feeling the warmth surround him. And with it, the radiating exchange of comforting feelings and emotions.

“ _You_ are enough,” Papyrus expressed. 

 

And it occurred to Red that he had never allowed himself this much vulnerability before, that he had let no one else this close to him. Because no one then had understood, or cared enough.

The gold toothed skeleton chuckled inwardly. 

How funny that it’d be an alternate version of his own brother.

 

A comfortable silence fell over the two as they embraced, and it wasn’t until Red rested his mandible on Papyrus’ shoulder did it drop with a bereaved sigh.

“Sometimes I feel what I do isn’t enough,” he quietly admitted, “I try very hard and I’m still not popular. I don’t get much recognition for my accomplishments, not unless it’s from Sans. And it gets frustrating. But,” he smiled slightly, “I know I have you, Undyne, Sans, and Edge. So those don’t bother me.”

“It’s...other times though, that I wonder if I’m broken,” Papyrus confessed, “That I’m not like everyone else, and I could never be.” And at this, Red jerked his skull up to face him.

 

“ _broken?_ waddya mean?” Papyrus tilted his skull so their eyelights met.

“I...I don’t feel I require intimate contact like you--” nervously, he broke eye contact for a moment, “to be intimate.” Holding Red closer, the taller skeleton continued. “I’m happy just like this,” he confessed, “ _being_ here with you. _Talking_ , hugging.”

Arms lowering to fiddle with the blanket, Papyrus ghosted over the folds. Long phalanges bunched the soft fabric as he spoke.

“Everyone else around me needs it, _wants_ it. _Everyone but me_.”

 

It wasn’t immediate, but Red soon understood. Shame washed over him as he dove to hug Papyrus back.

“ _you’re not broken,_ ” he assured him, “you’re just different. and no one can fault ya for being you.” Taking a breath, Red allowed himself a hopeful smile. “why don’t cha tell’em, pap?” he asked, “‘m sure they’ll understand.”

“But…” the taller skeleton sniffled, “you’ve seen how they are. I don’t want to upset them.”

“ _voidshit_ pap, you’ll upset’em if ya _don’t_ mention it.” Patting his scapula, Red squeezed him in what he hoped was a reassuring fashion before releasing Papyrus. “please tell’em what ya told me. they love ya pap, they’d hate ta make ya unhappy.”

Setting his jaw to stop himself from bawling, the lanky skeleton turned away a moment to wipe his sockets. [Another song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTR6GWCusEM) began. 

 

“You-you’re right,” he agreed, a happy line creased his teeth, “Sans would never think bad of The Great Papyrus as his equally great brother. And Edge,” he added eyelights brightening, “as a Papyrus himself, he too would understand!”

“he is, after all, you by nature,” grinned Red. “they’ll accept ya,” he reassured, “i know it. if he’s anything like me, sans don’t got a bad bone in’im. he’ll love you cuz that part of him won’t change.” His gold tooth shone as he widened his smile.

“no matter how long their absence, they love us,” he said more to himself. “and that won’t change.”

 

With an accepting nod, the shorter skeleton clasped the other’s hand in his. 

“‘m no good with promises,” he admitted, “but i'll be there for ya pap,” Red pledged. “i won’t leave ya when ya need me.” 

And the taller skeleton stroked his knuckles as he drew the gold-toothed monster closer. 

“Thank you,” Papyrus uttered gratefully. “Come morning, we’ll talk to our brothers. About them, about us. But in the meantime,” Giving Red a thoughtful glance, Papyrus looked over the magic burning his sockets. “I suppose I ought to let you sleep.” 

“wh--yer not keepin’ me up,” he mildly protested, as thin phalanges slipped away from his. 

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I?” Papyrus answered, stifling a yawn. Raising a brow, Red shook his head, confused.

 

“i thought ya didn’t sleep.”

“Well,” the taller skeleton chuckled, as he positioned his back against the armrest nearest to him, “I never explicitly denied myself rest this evening, now did I?”

As Papyrus leaned back, Red eyed the bedrooms as he let him take the trailing blanket. If he strained enough to hear, he could swear Sans was snoring. Stretching his long legs, the taller skeleton nestled into the couch’s padded arm. Opposite him, Red smiled fondly.

 

Rising from his seated position, Red shuffled nearer.

“hey pap?” he asked softly, “can i…?” Cracking open a socket, Papyrus lifted the blanket and gently ushered Red inside. Gratefully, the shorter skeleton curled up next to him and snuggled against his chest. Like a soft sunrise, the warm orange light gingerly returned until Red glowed alongside him. 

Souls beating almost in sync, the sweatered skeleton listened, breathless. Hesitantly stretching distal phalanges to Papyrus’ sternum, the gold toothed skeleton lightly touched the bone from beneath his buttoned sleep-shirt.

“will you stay with me?” Red whispered, as he allowed his palm contact. A long arm pulled him into a one-armed hug.

“I will,” Papyrus answered with conviction. Nuzzling his tall sibling’s alternate, Red chuckled and sighed contentedly.

“boss and i,” he smiled, “used ta do this when he got scared. and after...y’know. but it never really felt like this. like it coulda been… _more._ ” The tip of a nasal ridge brushed his skull as Papyrus held him close.

“Is it a good kind of different?” Red buried his face into that radiating warmth as he let himself have this. 

“yeah,” he grinned. “this is enough.”


End file.
